Pleasantly Surprised
by Time Heist
Summary: There was one more Marauder... one that you didn't know about. Naomi Witte, the polite girl with a penchant for trouble, was forgotten, but why? Follow her in her first year in Hogwarts. First in the planned Pleasantly series.
1. Magic?

**AN: This is not my first account on this site, but having abandoned my previous account for over a year now, I have decided to start afresh with this account.**

**I intend for this story to be the first in my Pleasantly series. To explain the name, my OC's name is Naomi, which means 'pleasant'.**

**Some assumptions I make in this story may not be factually accurate. However, a thorough search of several websites has shed no light on these matters. For example, the question of who was the Deputy Headmaster/Headmistress during the Marauder era. For the purpose of this story, I have given the title to Minerva McGonagall, who by 1971 would have been at the school for 15 years as both the professor of Transfiguration and the Head of Gryffindor House.**

1st July 1971

I opened my eyes blearily, glancing at the ringing alarm clock that I had knocked onto the floor. I stretched, muscles straining, and snagged the alarm clock by one of its legs before switching the blasted alarm off. It had seemed to fly a little into my hand, but I dismissed the ridiculous notion as yet another result of my flyaway imagination.

Replacing the alarm clock to its rightful position on the bedside table, I slumped back onto the bed, staring at the dust particles which danced in the rays of sunlight peeking through the gap between my curtains. _9am, _I thought, _whatever possessed me to wake up so early?_

With that thought, it came to me. It was my birthday! I was, at last, eleven years old, old enough to associate with the "cool" kids at school. Despite it being the summer holidays, I felt the irrational urge to return to school immediately.

As I sat up, a knock sounded at the door. "Naomi, dear, are you awake?" I grinned. I knew my mother would have something planned for me, probably either an exciting family outing or a fantastic birthday party with my close friends. Sometimes I felt like I had the best mother in the world.

"Of course, Mum!" I called, all traces of grogginess void from my voice, replaced by childish excitement.

However, the voice that replied me held none of my mother's usual cheer. "Get dressed then, dear, and come down for breakfast." She said, sounding… uncertain?

My mother's unusual tone of voice lingered in my mind as I threw on a shirt, a miniskirt, and some platform shoes, my birthday clothes in the latest fashions.

For the first time I could remember, I did not throw open my bedroom door, instead pushing it open gently and gliding down the stairs into the living room. What was bothering my mother on my birthday?

The sight before me seemed perfectly ordinary, save for the fact that it was occurring on my birthday, and the attire of one of the parties involved. My parents sat on the couch facing a woman, who sat in one of the armchairs. Three mugs of tea steamed on the table, yet only the stranger's seemed to have been sipped.

My mother turned to face me, and smiled at me warmly. "Ah yes, Naomi, you're finally awake. Professor McGonagall here has come to talk to you about a school." She said, gesturing at the woman, who was surely Professor McGonagall.

Before I could stop myself, I had blurted, "School? It's the summer holidays!" I clapped my hand over my mouth, shocked at my own outburst. Yes, I was loud and outspoken, but surely my parents had taught me better than to babble in front of strangers!

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Indeed, Miss Witte. Precisely why I came to talk to your parents about a transfer. Please, take a seat." Her voice was authoritarian but not unkind.

I mumbled a quick apology before seating myself next to my mother, gaze fixed on Professor McGonagall. She looked to be about my parents' age, in the mid-thirties. A pair of black-rimmed spectacles rested on her stern nose. What distinguished her from any other working-age woman, however, was her strange clothing. A pointed black hat, one that might have come out of a book about witches, sat upon her head and she was wearing a loose-fitting dress which folded in odd places.

The witch, as I had started to call her in my head, cleared her throat again before speaking. "Miss Witte, I have been speaking to your parents about a school. A school for witches and wizards, otherwise known as magical folk."

I gaped at her uncomprehendingly, before muttering, "What kind of birthday prank is this?"

"I assure you, Miss Witte, that this is not a joke, or a prank. Have you ever done things that seem to be impossible?" Her tone, while patient, seemed long-suffering. It was evident that she had gone through this before.

I racked my brains for an unexplainable incident, before recalling with a small gasp. "Petunia Evans! She was teasing me last year, in school, when suddenly she fainted! I always thought it was just, well, karma. But now that I think about it I _was _imagining her falling face first onto the floor…"

I trailed off, realising I was agreeing with the mad woman. _But what if she isn't mad? _A voice in my head whispered. _What if there really is such thing as magic?_

I felt my mother stroking the top of my head soothingly, seemingly knowing my inner turmoil and confusion. "What you are, Miss Witte, is a Muggleborn." Professor McGonagall explained. "A witch, or a person with magic, who is born to Muggles, or non-magical people."

Suddenly, I found myself believing every word she said. "So, will I be going to this… school?" I found myself asking, and it was apparent even to myself the wonder in my voice.

"Yes. The school in question is called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the finest schools for magic in the world. There are, of course, books and items that you will require for school. Your parents have agreed to allow a prefect from Hogwarts to bring you to Diagon Alley, a wizarding shopping street, to buy them tomorrow."

I was nodding eagerly at this point. To think, magic was real! And I could use it! It was almost too exciting to bear and I gave the professor a large, silly grin.

"Have a happy eleventh birthday, Miss Witte."

**AN: So, I hoped you guys enjoyed it! Yes, this chapter doesn't tell you much in terms of plot, and it may be inaccurate regarding how Muggleborns and their families are informed about their magical abilities, but I did establish some important points. Naomi's connection with her mother, her knowledge of the Evans family, and a little bit of her character revealed.**

**It's the school holidays right now, so I'll be posting the next chapter likely tomorrow. Diagon Alley! (+meeting the Marauders hehe)**

**Please review so I can improve! Thank you!**


	2. The Floo

**AN: I would like to thank those who reviewed the first chapter of Pleasantly Surprised!**

**Pein's Kid: Thank you **

**MacaroniCheese: Here's your update **

**So anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter **

2nd July 1972

I sat on one of the armchairs in the living room, thrumming with excitement. A wizarding street! As the clock slowly ticked toward one my anticipation only grew until I was sitting on the very edge of my seat.

At long last, there was a knock on the door. I bolted out of the chair, almost stumbling over the coffee table, and without bothering to check whom it was, unlocked the door and wrenched it open, startling the teenager behind it.

"Hey!" I greeted enthusiastically.

"Hi, you must be Naomi. I'm Colin Wood, a prefect from Hogwarts." He stuck his hand out and I shook it, grinning. Yelling a goodbye to my parents who were in the study, I hopped out of the house and shut the door behind me.

"So… How are we going to get to Diagon Alley?" I inquired. I honestly had no idea where it was, and was beyond eager to find out.

Colin laughed at my excitement. "Not yet, Naomi. We've got another student to pick up. Her name's Lily Evans, she lives in Cokeworth as well, maybe you know her?"

Lily Evans was a witch, too? Lily was Petunia's younger sister, and I'd always pitied her for having to share a home and family with that spiteful girl. She was in my class in school, and although we were friends, everyone knew she was closer to Severus who lived down Spinner's End.

"Yeah, I know her." I nodded, before pointing to the next street. "She lives along there, in the pretty white house with the rose bushes."

I'd always envied Lily Evans her beautiful home. Although my family's house was nice, and felt like home, it was obvious the Evans family, along with their neighbors, were better off than the rest of us.

Colin took towards her house at a leisurely pace, and I knew he was allowing for my shorter legs, which made me slightly indignant, but I kept my mouth shut. _He's being kind_, I chided myself.

In a few minutes, we'd reached Lily's door, and Colin hadn't even tapped the door when it was flung open.

There was a pause as Lily gaped at me. "Naomi, you're a witch, too?" she sputtered, disbelievingly, once she had regained the use of her vocal cords.

"Yep!" Colin answered for me. "And I'm Colin Wood, fifth year Hogwarts prefect. Are you ready to go?"

"Of course!" the redhead enthused, seemingly over her initial shock at discovering I also possessed magic.

"Alright then. We'll be walking to the Muggle Post Office – There's a Floo there. Floos are transportation via fireplace – fireplaces that are connected by the Floo network can be activated by throwing a magical powder called Floo powder into the flames." Colin explained. "Most Muggle Post Offices have a hidden fireplace that is on the Floo network."

Lily and I shared a delighted glance. Travelling through fireplaces! As we walked, Lily and I conversed about magic. "So when did you find out you had magic? I only found out yesterday when Professor McGonagall came to my house." I queried.

"Oh, it was your birthday, wasn't it? How was it? I actually found out about magic quite a long time ago. Sev told me all about it. His mum's a witch, and he's a wizard. It's fascinating, don't you think?" She gushed.

"Yeah, it was my birthday. I spent the day with my parents at the zoo! It was really great, and it got me thinking about magical animals, too! Severus is a wizard too? No wonder you two are so close!" I raved.

"He'll be there today, too, with his mum" Lily confirmed. Without warning, Colin stopped, resulting in me walking straight into him. Blushing with embarrassment, I realised we had reached the Post Office.

Entering, I looked about the Post Office. Nope, no signs of a fireplace. But Colin simply gestured for us to follow him to the Customer Service counter, where he told the employee, "I was told to come see Mr Oris – it's urgent."

"Yes, of course." The lady drawled. "Fifth one today." She led us to a separate room, and Lily and I gasped in wonder as she tapped one of the walls, with a wooden stick – a wand? – causing a fireplace, complete with crackling fire to appear. She then handed us each a small packet of silver powder. "Just throw the powder in, and say the name of your destination." she told us at our slightly confused looks.

Colin grinned at us. "Ladies first. Just say, loud and clear – Diagon Alley. Don't mumble or slur. Could make you end up somewhere else." Somewhere else? I gulped nervously at the thought of appearing in a strange place.

Not wanting my hesitation to become known – I was made of sterner stuff that this, surely! – I tapped the powder from my packet into my hand, and threw it into the flames. Immediately, _magically, _the flames turned emerald green. Slightly anxious, I hopped into the fireplace, feeling endlessly relieved when the flames flickered around me harmlessly, and uttered, loudly and clearly, "Diagon Alley!"

I heard Colin yell after me, "Tuck in your elbows!" but his voice seemed… far away. Suddenly, I had the distinct impression of _moving_. Opening my eyes, which I had not known I had closed, I saw fireplaces travelling past me at an alarming speed. _Woah, this is so cool. _Finally, the fireplaces (and I) stilled and I found myself standing in an entirely different fireplace. _How did that happen?_

I stepped out quickly into what appeared to be a bar. At first sight it seemed ordinary, until I realized several cups of tea were stirring themselves. Several men and woman were wearing hats similar to Professor McGonagall's, and was that… an _owl_ in that cage?

I heard a slight rustling sound behind me, and turned to find Lily stepping out of the fireplace. "That was awesome!" she breathed. Another rustling sound revealed Colin, who pointed at the entrance.

"Diagon Alley's right out the door. This is The Leaky Cauldron." He sounded remarkably like a tour guide, I thought, as he ushered us out into the busy street.

**AN: Okay I said that this chapter would cover Diagon Alley, and it was supposed to – but I got really tired, so I'll post this first, and write the Diagon Alley chapter and post it later today.**

**Please review! Thank you!**


	3. Diagon Alley

2nd July 1971

Colin handed each of us a roll of parchment. Unrolling it, I read the following:

**First year students will require:**

**Uniform**

**Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black) (3G)**

**One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear (1G)**

**One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar) (2G)**

**One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings) (2G)**

**Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times**

**Total: 8G**

**Books**

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk (1G)**

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot (2G)**

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling (2G)**

**A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch (1G)**

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore (2G)**

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger (2G)**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander (2G)**

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble (1G)**

**Total: 13G**

**Other Equipment**

**1 Wand (7G)**

**1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) (15G)**

**1 set of glass or crystal phials (3G/7G)**

**1 telescope (5G)**

**1 set of brass scales (3G)**

**Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad (10G)**

**Total: 43G/47G**

**Total: 64G/68G**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

"Woah." I whispered. "We can get all this stuff here?" Colin chuckled at my expression.

"We actually have to pay for them, mind you. Come along, let's go to Gringotts to change your muggle money to wizarding coins."

"Gringotts?"

"Wizarding bank, run by goblins."

"Goblins?!"

"You'll see."

Gringotts Wizarding Bank was an imposing, snow-white marble building. Unfortunately, it also looked like it was about to topple over. Strange, squashed little men with hooked noses poured over heavy tomes at each seat of the large U-shaped table. Colin guided us to a goblin on the left.

"Hi there, these Muggleborns have come to change their money." Colin announced cheerfully, waving his hand at us.

"That'll be five pounds to a Galleon." The goblin peered at us over old-fashioned glasses. "First years, is it? You'll need about… 70 Galleons, that'll be 350 pounds."

Lily and I each counted out the money from our pouches, provided to us by our parents. I winced slightly at the large amount of money in her pouch.

We each slid our notes and coins over the counter, and the goblin returned us two heavy pouches, filled to the brim with gold coins. I picked up one of the coins, and flipped it over. It was inscribed with the words, "Unus Galleon".

I looked up to thank the goblin, but it appeared he had made short work of ignoring us. "So… What's first?" I ask, attempting to remain casual, but I was secretly dying to get my wand.

Lily, however, seemed to have a different idea. "Could we go get our schoolbooks first?" she piped up. "The titles sound so different from what we're used to!"

Colin looked across the street at the bustling Flourish and Blotts, and sighed. "Perhaps we should get you fitted for your robes, first." He suggested. "The bookshop looks crowded, and I'm a little… claustrophobic."

"Oh, okay." Lily agreed slightly reluctantly. Colin led us right down the street to a rather large shop with the sign "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions"

A tall, slim woman was already attending to several customers, a few of them being students. For the second time that day, I walked into someone.

"Oomph!" I nearly fell over, but the boy whom I had just bumped into caught me. I could hear Lily and Colin giggling at me, but tried my best to ignore me as I apologised to, and thanked the boy and righted myself.

"It's alright." He said politely. Then a grin broke out on his face. "Are you a Mud – Muggleborn?"

I nodded, wondering what he had been about to say before he corrected himself. His grin grew wider.

"Mother will have a fit, what with me associating with Muggleborns. " He laughed, jerking his thumb at an elegantly dressed woman, who was in the middle of yelling at the woman who I assumed was Madam Malkin.

"My son will be in Slytherin!" She screamed, not minding the stares she was receiving from the other customers. Like her son, she had rich black hair and patrician features. "I demand you give him Slytherin robes!"

"But, Mrs Black." Madam Malkin protested. "The boy has not yet been Sorted, it would be best to simply provide him with the standard black robes – they will be transfigured to match those of his housemates when he is Sorted."

Madam Malkin's protestations were to no avail, and Mrs Black dragged the boy out of the shop with green and silver hemmed robes under one arm and insults flying from her mouth.

"Slytherin?" I asked Colin. "And what does Sorted mean?"

"Slytherin is one of the four houses in Hogwarts, along with Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff." To my surprise, it was Lily who spoke. "You're Sorted into one of the houses based on the traits you possess and value most."

"Well, I can already tell I don't want to be in Slytherin." I snorted, expecting Lily to laugh along with me. To my surprise, she simply shot me a disapproving glare and shook her head.

Slightly put off, I kept my mouth shut as we were fitted for our school robes. Despite the incredible sight of flying measuring tapes taking my measurements, my excitement was dimmed by Lily's mood.

We left the shop with heavy robes and 8 Galleons poorer. Flourish and Blotts seemed to be clearing out, so we decided to head there next. Ceiling-high bookshelves were stacked with books of all shapes and sizes. Regrettably, the books we bought were all ordinary, paperback books save for their titles and contents. Despite most of the customers having already left, we still had to do a fair bit of jostling to pay for the books.

Speaking of jostling, I bumped into someone for the third time that day, giving myself a mouthful of light brown hair. As I readjusted myself, green eyes turned to face me.

At this, the previously stony Lily started giggling again. I turned around to shoot her a death glare before sticking my hand out to the boy. "Hi, My name's Naomi!"

"My name's Remus, it's nice to meet you too." Despite his reply, he seemed rather timid, and I couldn't help but notice his hand felt rather… rough?

"Come, Remus. We're done here." A wizard, who appeared to be Remus' father, suddenly appeared next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He smiled warmly at us before exiting the store with his son, with Remus voicing a quiet goodbye.

After we paid, we headed to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment to pick up the remaining items we needed, including glass phials (why waste money on crystal ones?), a brass telescope (it makes colours brighter!) and brass scales. They even threw in a free cauldron ("Pottage's Cauldron Shop is in partnership with us"!)

Finally, we were going to get our wands! Lily perked up considerably at the thought of finally having an instrument with which to do magic. "It would be amazing to do the spells in our books! And did you see the stuff in that joke shop!" she gushed, practically dragging me to a small shop called "Ollivander's".

Ollivander was a wizard rapidly approaching old age, most of his hair having already turned gray. Regardless, he still moved about agilely, and when we entered his shop, he greeted us enthusiastically.

"Muggleborns, are you? Wonderful, wonderful. That means I won't know what to expect!" He shot us a wink. "Oh, and Colin! Colin Wood, Alder, Unicorn Hair, 10 and a half inches, slightly bendy, wasn't it? I do believe it's working well for you?"

"Yes, of course, Mr. Ollivander" Colin replied with a grin. "Polish it almost as often as I do my broomstick." Broomstick? I raised my eyebrows questioningly. _Later, _he mouthed.

"So, who are you, my dear?" Ollivander had turned to Lily.

"Lily, sir, Lily Evans. How do we choose a wand? We don't know the first thing about them."

"Why, Miss Evans. The wand chooses the wizard, not the other way around. Try this one – Apple, Unicorn hair, 10 inches, Rigid,"

Lily swished the wand he presented her with, resulting in his glasses, cracking. Without bothering to repair his glasses, he snatched the wand out of her grasp, muttering under his breath. He passed her with a slightly longer wand. "Willow, Dragon Heartstring, 10 and a quarter inches, bendy."

She had barely taken hold of it when he retrieved it from her. "Almost there, Miss Evans, almost there." He gave her yet another wand of similar length. "This should be the one for you! Willow, Fairy wings and Unicorn hair, 10 and a quarter inches, swishy. Good for charmwork."

She grasped it, and it started glowing with a red light. "It feels… right." She breathed, staring at it in wonder.

"Now, for you, Miss…?"

"Witte, sir. Naomi Witte."

"Well, Miss Witte. Try this one. Ebony – rare, of course, but it suits your hair, don't you think? Phoenix feather, eleven inches, flexible. Good for transfiguration."

I held the wand up, but it felt odd in my hand. "No, not that one, then. Maybe a different core…" Ollivander muttered, pushing another wand into my hand. "Fir, Dragon heartstring, eleven and a quarter inches, bendy."

The moment I picked it up half a shelf of wand boxes collapsed. "Whoops, wrong again." He said apologetically. "Maybe a combination to counter the heartstring? Here, Ebony and Fir, Dragon heartstring, eleven and a half inches, sturdy."

Finally, I knew what Lily meant. The wand seemed to fit in my hand effortlessly, and gold sparks shot out the end. It was odd but quite beautiful, with black handle and red body.

"Wonderful, wonderful! Well, Miss Evans, Miss Witte, that will be 7 Galleons each."

We left satisfied and amazed, and I hardly noticed as a pudgy boy with equally pudgy parents entered the store behind us, whom Ollivander greeted as the Pettigrews.

"Colin, what's a broomstick?" I demanded.

"Well, we fly on them. It's not a conventional method of transportation, but we use them to play Quidditch, which is a wizarding sport. Something like football. Look, the broomstick shop is just over there, I'll show you."

I practically sprinted to a large, well lit, museum-like shop known as Broomstix. A huge, thick broom with neat bristles stood on display in the shop window. 'The Cleansweep 4 – Neat, fast, reactive, and reliable, this Cleansweep is an improvement on the Cleansweep 3, with sharper turns and steeper dives. It is also remarkably polished, and only requires maintenance every few months." I read, eyes widening as I took in the fact that this broomstick could fly, turn, and even dive.

Next to me, a messy-haired, spectacled boy was also ogling the broom. "Too bad first years aren't allowed to play Quidditch – Might have convinced Mom and Dad to buy me this beauty otherwise. My Shooting Star is getting rusty." He lamented to me.

"Don't even think about it, James." A tall, elegant woman strode up to him, smoothing his hair down. She spared me a smile. "Making friends?"

"Oh. Hey – I'm James!" The boy seemed rather abashed at his lack of manners, but did not motion to shake my hand.

At this point, Lily caught up to me and helped me to introduce myself. "She's Naomi, I'm Lily." She panted as an amused Colin looked on.

"Lily, Naomi, are you ready to go? Good day, Mrs Potter!" He steered us back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

Lily and I chatted animatedly about the various wonders around us as we were led back to the fireplace in the bar, and continued after we had arrived safely back at the Post Office.

After I had reached home, I couldn't help but wonder why Lily was so on edge when I joked about Slytherin House.

**AN: Okay, this was a filler chapter. Boring and tedious to write, and probably boring and tedious to read, too,**

**Regardless, I would appreciate reviews, because I need to learn how to write filler chapters well.**

**Next chapter expected within a few days!**


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